Football: Albertus Magnus routed 62-12 in state-playoff debut

KINGSTON - Saturday was one of those nights where Albertus Magnus' frustration quickly turned to reflection.

Two hours earlier, the Falcons were eager for their first appearance in the state playoffs, but their excitement dissipated quickly. Instead, they were left to swallow a 62-12 loss to Burke Catholic in a sobering Class C state quarterfinal loss at Dietz Stadium.

"We didn’t play very well," coach Paul Villanueva said. "We played very tight. I don't know. We had a great week of practice where we were loose."

The Falcons (9-2) looked like a shell of the team that advanced with last week's 17-7 win over Dobbs Ferry in the Section 1 final. They were overwhelmed by the same team that beat Dobbs 21-20 last year.

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The Eagles nearly matched that point total in the first quarter, running up a 20-0 lead. Albertus never overcame that rocky start. It committed seven turnovers and allowed Burke Catholic senior David Ross to rush for 207 yards and a school-record-tying six touchdowns.

"It was all frustrating, man," senior captain Ethan McGrath said. "Every play was just a fight and they won it — every play. They wanted it more and we just weren’t ourselves."

The Falcons scored twice late in the fourth quarter after Burke Catholic built its 62-0 lead and pulled the starting defense. Senior Michael Kehoe rushed for one score and junior Lavonno Mitchell scooped a fumble and brought it back 40 yards for another.

With some points finally on the board and plenty of time to accept their fate, the Falcons (9-2) were able to take a broader view of the season. They were the group who won the school's first Section 1 football title and that provided some solace in the face of disappointment.

"That’s big," McGrath said. "That’s the positive of this year. We made history. Every one of us made history. We have to walk out of this stadium heads high. Cry later — not now."

"I'm so proud of our guys," Villanueva said. "We made history for the school this year. Do I think we could’ve played better? Absolutely. I think we could’ve played better. The score wasn’t indicative of what we’re capable of."

Burke Catholic moved on to face Section 2 champ Holy Trinity at 11 a.m. Nov. 18 at Middletown High School in the state semifinals.

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